As application season begins, potential students have been applying to the University of Georgia for fall 2023. However, UGA is starting to look a lot different than it has in past years with an increase in out-of-state applicants and students, specifically from the Northeast.
In 2020, 15% of the incoming class of 2024 were from a state other than Georgia, according to an article from UGAToday. This year, 25% of students admitted in the class of 2026 are from out of state, according to the UGA Undergraduate Admissions website.
Other than Georgia, the ten states with the most admitted students are Texas, North Carolina, New York, Virginia, New Jersey, Florida, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina and Pennsylvania, the website said.
The Southern school aesthetic
One of the main reasons seems to be the increase of the aesthetic of Southern schools and its traditions through the use of social media.
“In the past two years since I've come here, social media has been a huge part and they really show a lot about getting dressed up for games, how that is only a thing in the south, and kind of how Greek life plays a role in that,” junior Annie Rich said. “Because SEC schools have been around so long, they're so rich in tradition … It just creates a different experience. And I think that could lead to an increase in why so many people want to come to the south.”
For some out-of-state freshmen, the weather is another motivator.
Delaney Mertz, a freshman from Wisconsin and Megan Caputo, a freshman from New Jersey, both knew they wanted to apply out of state to escape the frigid winters and for UGA’s architecture program.
“I wanted to get down here for the warmer weather,” Caputo said. “I just searched a bunch of schools that were ranked really high for architecture. Georgia specifically has landscape architecture, which I wasn't even interested in until I read the letter from the dean at the college just describing the program, and it was a perfect match.”
Mertz also described the landscape architecture program as well-ranked. The undergraduate program has been previously ranked in the top ten in the nation and was ranked high in Niche’s “2023 Best Colleges with Landscape Architecture Degrees in America."
Jason de Zwaan, a freshman from Ohio, also chose UGA for the weather among other reasons.
“I was looking for warmer weather. Also, I’m not particularly fond of Ohio. There’s not a lot of big schools in Ohio except Ohio State,” de Zwaan said.
Ragan Odle, a freshman from Delaware, also said she didn’t want to have to deal with snow anymore and was among students that noted the combination of competitive academics and school spirit that UGA provides.
“I chose here specifically because I knew the academics were definitely one of the best that I saw, especially out of the Southern schools,'' Odle said. ''The combination of that with football and the downtown Athens area just really made me want to go here."
Out of state students recall several reasons why they chose the University of Georgia. (Graphic/Gianna Uvari)
Mertz also said she enjoys the football scene that UGA has, compared to other schools she looked at, and it stands out for having competitive academics and a fun student life.
The campus food is another attraction students pointed out. De Zwaan, said the food in the dining halls was a perk of UGA.
Caputo also mentioned the dining hall food, and the wide variety the university offers.
“We have so many different dining halls and food options. So they cater to different dietary restrictions, I'm pescatarian and I haven't had a problem finding food like that anytime,” Caputo said.
The southern hospitality embedded into the culture of southern schools was another highly appealing aspect for students from the Northeast.
“One of the biggest things for me was the southern hospitality, coming from the north, it actually is a real thing. People are a lot nicer down here,” Odle said. “It just kind of taught me that it doesn't take that much to go out of your way to help other people.”
Caputo also said that she found people in Athens to be lot more friendly and really wanted to push herself outside of her comfort zone.
“I was worried that if I stayed at home that I would get too comfortable and kind of fall behind visiting friends so much. But when you're so far, you're just forced to be independent,” Caputo said.
UGA has overall become a more diverse campus with the increase of out-of-state students. The class of 2026 is the biggest and one of the most diverse classes according to the university, as UGA continues to attract students from other geographical regions and the makeup of the student body fluctuates.
